Vipul Amrutlal Shah states his latest film, ‘The Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond,’ doesn’t show Kerala or its residents badly. Shortly after the Kerala High Court allowed the film to come out, the producer – and co-writer – stressed that the story is about certain criminal acts, and not a state or people as a whole.
Kerala High Court Allows Release
Justices Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and P V Balakrishnan, on a bench, cancelled a previous order which had paused showings for 15 days. This pause had stopped shows first thing Friday morning, but the court’s temporary order has restarted bookings.
Shah said his group made an appeal late Thursday night. The bench’s ruling effectively lets the release happen again, with showings starting Saturday evening. He also said he wasn’t at the hearing, but thinks the court found his side’s arguments convincing.
What the Producer is Saying: Not Against Kerala or Its People
Shah made a point of saying the film isn’t a strike against Kerala, often known as “God’s Own Country.” He described the project as drawing attention to the bad things done by a small number of people, and not a judgment on the state – which has a great culture – or its people.
‘Neither the film, nor me, nor the people who worked with me, are against the state of Kerala,’ he told news people. ‘When you see the film, you’ll find that we haven’t said anything bad about Kerala or the people of Kerala.’ He said the making of the film was done with ‘a lot of work and truthfully.’
What the Sequel is Trying to Be About
Directed by Kamakhya Narain Singh, ‘The Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond’ is about three Hindu women from three different states who marry Muslim men and then are made to change their religion against their will. Shah said the film shows criminal types who are thought to be active in more than one state – not only Kerala.
He argued that this is what the addition of ‘Goes Beyond’ to the title is meant to show; the film wants to make it clear that the story isn’t limited to one place. The producer insisted the film isn’t to smear Kerala, but to talk about what he calls particular, documented abuses.
Background, Problems, and Public Talk
Like the 2023 film ‘The Kerala Story,’ the sequel is coming out at a time of strong argument. The preview for the film made people react strongly on the internet and in politics, with some saying it was for propaganda, and others saying it raised awkward truths.
Shah said a loud ‘group’ has gone after the series of films since the first one came out. He claimed the majority of organised opposition on the internet seems to come from Kerala, while support is more widespread across the country. The argument has made more discussion of so-called “love jihad” stories, which are still strongly disputed.
Reply to Criticism From Other Filmmakers
When answering filmmaker Anurag Kashyap’s claim that the film spreads hate, Shah didn’t use personal attacks, but questioned how much Kashyap’s view mattered. He pointed to earlier works by the director and suggested the criticism didn’t deal with the film’s own claims or its legal basis.
Shah’s director, Kamakhya Narain Singh, has also asked those who are against the film to deal with what it says instead of just calling it names. The group keeps saying that the court’s decision supports their position that the film meets the legal rules for release.
The Legal Route and What the Film Industry Has at Stake
The legal twist made for a difficult day for the release. Morning shows were cancelled, then put back on after the temporary order. Such starts-and-stops in releases can test a film’s marketing plan and how people talk about it, but they can also make people more curious and go to the evening and weekend showings.
Shah said he was sure that what people who see the film think – not arguments on the internet – will decide how the film does. He said the group will look at the court’s full order, but is now focused on making sure the release goes smoothly now that the pause has been lifted.
What the First Film Made, and What is Ahead
The first part, directed by Sudipto Sen, made more than Rs 300 crore despite being banned in some states, and got national praise for its directing and how it was filmed. That record makes people expect good things from the follow-up’s chances of making money.
‘The Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond’ has Ulka Gupta, Aditi Bhatia, and Aishwarya Ojha in it. With the court’s approval, the studio will hope to turn trouble into ticket sales while dealing with a lot of close watching. For Shah and Sunshine Pictures, the balance is clear: being legally okay as the court has said, what the people who see it think, and a promise not to harm Kerala’s name.
As showings start again, the talk will likely stay heated. But the filmmaker’s position is clear: the film, he says, calls out people who are thought to be criminals, not a group of people. If that difference is seen by those who watch, it will decide the cultural effect and how much money the film makes.
